#THE ARCHIEREGGIE OF IT ALL.

[arsenicpanda]

the #1 archiereggie shipper, but in a homophobic way

[girl-archie]

ok?

[fadeintoyou1993]

OK!!!!!!!

[norwegiancornflake]

I’m honestly really disappointed that Riverdale is ending right when the show reached peak bisexuality

[fizzlehead]

roberto aguirre sacasa needs to shut the fuck up. i don’t even care about jarchie but he’s pissing me off

[dashiellqvverty]

i literally miss jarchie so much like objectively not the worst thing about the season but i wish they still hung out :((

[bireggiemantle]

hiiii everybody I think now is as good a time as ever to say that I've begun writing a brokeback mountain inspired archiereggie slowburn fic. it's told from archies perspective about him coming to terms with his sexuality, pursuing a relationship with reggie, and exploring the fallout of that. I've only written the first short scene so far, but I figured I'd post it to gauge interest and see what y'all think :)

-

He'd be lying if he said Betty didn't look beautiful in the glow of the moonlight, with the way the streaks of pale blue weaved their way between the strands of her blonde hair, but Archie can't help but feel the pit at the center of his stomach grow larger and heavier everytime she smiles.

He loves Betty. She's his friend, his companion, the only person he thinks to turn to in a time of need. And her bright smile is usually a sign of comfort for him. It means a warm embrace is coming, or a reassuring speech, but tonight, in the front seat of his car, that smile feels like a death sentence.

It's nearing the end of their date, the smell of Pop's still lingering in the air, and they've made their way to Makeout Point. It's the natural progression of things, really. A date should start with a gentleman handing over his jacket and whisking his lady off to a magical world of movies and milkshakes before ending with a few discreet kisses at the edge of a cliff.

Betty knows this. It's why she keeps leaning towards him, batting her eyelashes as she unbuttons the top of her blouse. Archie knows this too. It's why he keeps sinking further into his seat and crossing his legs.

And finally, somehow, Betty seems to take the hint.

"Archie, is something wrong?" She places a gentle hand on his forearm and frowns. "Am I rushing things for you?"

"What? Betty, no, everything's spiffy. I'm just nervous for tomorrow's big game. You know how Stonewall Prep plays."

She nods, giving his arm a small squeeze before letting go completely. The expression in her face is hard to read, though her lips are pursed rather tightly. Her eyes drift across Archie, as if she were analyzing him. It makes Archie feel transparent, as if all his innermost thoughts and feelings were there for her to see and dissect as she pleases.

Archie draws his bottom lip between his teeth and drops eye contact with Betty, but he immediately feels her sit up straighter in response. If he didn't know any better, he'd think she was just as uncomfortable as him.

"They certainly are a talented team, and a mean one at that, but I've seen you play too, Arch. You're not too shabby yourself." Betty offers him another smile, duller and hollower than the last, and Archie manages to reciprocate this time, even if it's only slightly.

"Well," she continues, smoothing out the wrinkles in her pleated skirt, "should we get going?"

"Yeah, I uh, I think so." He watches her fasten her blouse from the corner of his eye, waiting a moment before he starts the car. If this were happening only a month ago, Archie would practically be jumping out of his seat towards her, but it seems like that ship has sailed.

Maybe he and Betty were never meant to be. Mrs. Cooper didn't like him anyways, and he'd much rather have the dirty looks cast between mailboxes than across the dinner table.

The drive home is silent, and the air between them feels tense. Every few seconds Archie can feel her gaze settle on him before darting right back to the road in front of them. Her hands are nestled between her thighs, fingers interlaced, and, while sitting at a stop sign, Archie notices two crescent shaped red marks on the skin where her thumbs are resting. He doesn't bring it up. She doesn't bring it up. It's just easier if they both avoid it.

Typically Betty would be the one to place a chaste kiss on Archie's cheek during their goodnight exchange, but tonight Archie makes the movie before she can. It's been a bizarre date, and he's worried about what Betty must think, so he hopes the kiss can offer her even a little comfort. It's not much, but it's a sign that he still likes her, that he still cares about her, that he's still attracted to her, and he hopes that a little can go a long way in situations like these.

"I had a nice time tonight." Betty says. She clutches her purse with two hands. "You were right about Rear Window. I think I have a soft spot for mysteries."

"You should thank Veronica. She's the one that suggested it." And a million other pictures at that.

Betty laughs. "I thought so. She's been telling me to see it since the day it came out. But I hate going to the movies alone."

"Well, if you're ever looking for a partner-"

"I'll know who to ask." Betty interrupts. She untangles one hand from the handle of her bag and places it on Archie's right cheek. "Goodnight, Arch, and goodluck." Her fingertips brush the curve of his jawline as she pulls away.

"Goodnight Betty. I'll see you tomorrow." It's less of a statement and more of a question, a prayer that he hasn't completely ruined their friendship, and from Betty's reply, he can tell she hears him.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

[olreid]

are you a barchie fan?

absolutely not! thanks for asking <3 i find bettyarchie compelling in the sense of like. girl next door & boy next door who both in their own ways experience the dark underbelly of those archetypes and feel very alone in doing so. fundamental to each of their characters is that they been exposed to things that the rest of riverdale wants to sweep under the rug while simultaneously being held up as like. archetypal Riverdale Residents. this makes them both insane, because their ability to take things at face value has been completely obliterated and forever after they're always trying to pull back the curtain or dig up the grave to make sure theres a body. they are to me two of the characters who most often find themselves in riverdale-as-horror movie, so for that reason alone i can see the vision. they are at their best when they are bonding with each other about the alienating violence theyve experienced.

i dont generally mind bettyarchie in the show because i know and perceive the truth which is that when pursue each other it's largely because they think they're Supposed to, not because they are actually. attracted to each other in that way. theyre so clearly trying to convince themselves and each other that its good and it's so obviously not. like guys you dont have to do that.. you can just hang out! but at the end of the day theyre like homosexual besties to me because theres just no romantic chemistry between them really at all. archie especially is pretty much fully gay to me. the only straight archie pairing i find compelling at all is archiejosie, and even that is like. they are friends :) jarchie and archiereggie and archiemunroe on the other hand.. NOW we're cooking with gas

[darcyolsson]

I know we all got distracted by archiereggie gay sex but i thought beronica were dating but just on the down low....... guess not 💔

[kanthony]

fred looking down on archiereggie and on all the sex they gonna have in that car

[girl-archie]

archie at the gayest he's been in a while just in time for 1950s reggie mantle debut... it's all coming together

[hbogirls]

(more importantly top five riverdale quotes and or dynamics)

ooh riverdale... the richest text in the world

quotes (i am due for a rewatch so this is off the dome lol)

i've seen a porcelain doll possessed by my deceased brother move faster than you lot

IT'S NOT QUEERBAITING IT'S SAVING THE WORLD!!

he bought a rocket? / no, he's been building one. (this relies entirely on lili reinhart and madchen amick's delivery to be funny, and it is!)

word of my exploits serving nick his comeuppance has seeped into the demimonde of mobsters and molls my father used to associate with........ etc (mentioned by cami as one of her favs and for good reason. it goes on way longer but this is all i can remember)

MOM, JUGHEAD AND I SLEEP IN THE SAME BED!!

dynamics

beronica!! slowburn/longcon of the century kindaaaaa

betty & cheryl-- cousins! they hate each other they respect each other they love each other

archiereggie -- a sleeper hit but season seven sold me on them so completely. when they got tricked into watching gay porn together? masterful

jabitha!! holy shit that love story...

choni <3 they sometimes make no sense but damn if i'm not charmed by them

[riverdalepolycule]

Okay real quick here's Riverdale pairings I wanted but never got:

Archie x Toni

Betty x Toni

Veronica x Toni beyond the lopaz mass delusion

Tabitha x Toni

notice how I wish they let Toni out of her cage for more than like 1 season with Fangs?? anyway

Cheryl and Veronica I got my kiss but I needed toxic Yuri scissoring

ArchieReggie might as well have happened in my book. But we could have had more

Ethelhead more of that for sure

Jughead could have lezzed out with Fangs. There I said it

Jughead and Toni should have also given it another awkward untimely stumbling shot. For me

That's all for now 🤔

[silentassassin21]

so sorry to all the people who loved riverdale from the start and thought the last season was boring but as someone who quit halfway through season 1 i had an absolute blast, 9.9/10 season of television (it doesn't get a 10 bc we never got an archiereggie kiss)

[fizzlehead]

1 , 2 & 7 for the ask game🫶

hiiiiiii auguste <3

1. favorite character - well. surprising no one it’s betty <3 one of my very favorite characters of all time i don’t have the strength to talk about it right now and also i’ve talked about it at length 100 other times on here and will do it probably 100 more times but she’s my everything. wish they hadn’t ruined her in the back half of s6 and all of s7 but she’ll always be my girl <3

2. least favorite character - grundy fuck that stupid bitch i hate that they brought her back after the really satisfying archie faces his trauma moment we had last season I think it was one of the worst decisions made in s7 and that’s saying A LOT! fuck grundy at least frank is fun to hate but the same cannot be said about this bitch i hope i never see her face again

3. ideal endgames - oh goddddddd it’s so so hard and before this season my answers would have been completely different but as of right now. jabitha. archiereggie. beronica. cheryl/heather. joaqkevin no i don’t care that joaquin has been dead since season 3. tangs for the sake of gay adult baby anthony. and. chicles

[bireggiemantle]

archiereggie 48 :)

tysm for the prompt, anon! so many people have sent archiereggie asks for the kiss ficlet game, and I can't wait to write all of them :)

48: a kiss out of habit.

fyi: this piece is set in the 50s and contains very minor spoilers for s7.

-

Things with Reggie feel less like maintaining a relationship and more like tapping along to the rhythm of their favorite song. It's simple, familiar, and their intimate moments slot perfectly into the cracks of Archie's day to day life.

Things with Reggie feel like a chaste kiss in the locker room after a grueling afternoon of practice.

Things with Reggie feel like holding hands in the safety of their own bedroom.

Things with Reggie feel like screaming in unison as they race down the highway at unfathomable speeds.

Things with Reggie feel as close to perfect as they can be, and Archie can't help but be enveloped in the comfort their relationship brings. It's something to look forward to every morning and every night, knowing that there will always be a warm smile waiting by his bedside.

It hasn't always been easy, of course. A few short months ago Reggie was shying away whenever their fingertips brushed in the halls, and they'd often end up in arguments about where their boundaries laid for public displays. But, just like with souping up an old jalopy, it's amazing what some hard work and elbow grease can accomplish.

So, three months and a few days later, Archie's flipping pancakes and frying eggs for the man of his dreams in their shared kitchen.

The hissing sound of the oil and the sweet smell of maple syrup fill the air around them, weaseling their way into Archie's head and leaving him feeling soft and fuzzy as he cooks, like the blurred edges of an older picture. He's humming quietly, a song he remembers his dad playing a lot when he was a kid, and he can feel Reggie's eye settle on him as he starts to grow slightly louder.

"You almost done there, chef?"

Archie nods, a shameless smile forming on his face. "Just a few more of these pancakes and we'll be good as golden." He slides the most recent batch onto a nearby plate, adding onto the already crooked stack, and slathers the newest pair with butter. It's been a while since Archie's gotten to cook like this, but falling back into it is a bit like riding a bike. The last time he made breakfast for somebody was a few years prior, when his mom was too grief stricken to make anything more than tea. And cooking out of necessity is much different than cooking out of passion.

Or out of love, but he's not quite ready to admit that out loud yet.

He scrapes the last drops of batter onto the pan and tosses the now-empty bowl into the sink. The eggs are seconds away from finishing too, and Archie's able to slide those alongside his precarious pile of pancakes before carrying them over to Reggie. He sets the plate down between them both, making sure that it sits far enough away for Reggie's face not to be obscured.

Mary's out with some friends for coffee at the moment, and Uncle Frank is still sleeping, so it's unlikely either of them will be disturbed.

"So, what do ya think?" Archie grins as he watches Reggie take his first heaping bite.

"They're swell." Reggie says through a mouthful of food.

"Just swell?" Archie counters, but he knows Reggie really means that they're fantastic. Judging by Reggie's sly smirk, he catches Archie's joke as well.

"How's old Bella coming along?"

Reggie takes a sip of his coffee, hot, black, and too bitter for Archie's taste. "Betty and I gotta take another look at her engine today. She'll start, but not willingly."

"Is she still making that noise?" Archie reaches for his own cup, a much, much sweeter mix of milk and sugar with the barest hint of caffeine.

Reggie shakes his head. "No, that was just a bearing problem. Easy fix."

"You think we could take her out sometime soon? Go for a joyride around town? Maybe even a highway?" Archie brushes his foot against Reggie's ankle from under the table, nudging him slightly. It's their way of communicating in moments like these, sharing a feeling of reassurance or excitement about whatever topic might be at hand.

Reggie, as always, leans into the contact, pressing their lower calves together. "I don't know about a joyride, but she should make it to Pop's by this time next week."

"Pop's? Are you asking me on a date, Mantle?"

"Well, it'd be a shame not to take Bella out after all this work." Even after all this time, Reggie can't seem to say it directly. He dances around terms like "dates" or "boyfriends", replacing them with ambiguous statements or witty remarks. Archie would be lying if he said the lack of acknowledgement didn't sting a little, but he's grown used to the phrasing. It's not exactly safe for them to be broadcasting their bond to all of Riverdale yet, and he understands that Reggie has spent his entire life on thin ice already. Maybe one day things will be easier for them, and things with Reggie can feel like he's always dreamed like going steady would.

For now he can live with pancakes and euphemisms.

"I'd love to take her to Pop's with you, Reggie." he says, leaning over the table and pressing a kiss to Reggie's left cheek. When he pulls away he can see the faintest dusting of pink along his skin.

It takes Reggie a moment to regain his composure, the color disappearing from his cheeks as quickly as it came, and what he says next shocks Archie.

"It's a date then."

He leans back towards Archie, connecting their lips in a brief kiss, and Archie is suddenly reminded of every kiss they've shared before; There's the habitual ones before basketball games, the chaste goodnight kisses he yearns for every evening, and the sweet pecks they'll place along the contours of each other's jaws in the privacy of their own home, alone in the early hours of the weekend mornings. He's kissed Reggie like this hundreds of times before, and he knows that he'll get to kiss Reggie like this hundreds of times more.

Archie all but melts, his own cheeks glowing a bright rosey red as his lips curl upwards.

"It's a date."